Eli5 How does radiation therapy actually work? Like how doesnt it break down more of the body and make the cancer worse or something like that? And does it target only cancer area or everything?

Question

Eli5 How does radiation therapy actually work? Like how doesnt it break down more of the body and make the cancer worse or something like that? And does it target only cancer area or everything?

In: 630

Answer 1

This is also the thinking underlying chemotherapy, which is important to keep in mind. Since cancer cells divide rapidly, they are an easy target for these medications, but other rapidly replicating cells, such as those in your digestive tract, are also killed.